Russian imports from non-CIS up 20.7% to $48.3 bln in Q1 2018 - customs
MOSCOW. April 10 (Interfax) - Russian imports of goods from non-CIS countries totaled $48.290 billion in January-March 2018, up 20.7% compared to the same period last year, the Federal Customs Services (FCS) reported, citing provisional data.
The value of goods imports from the non-CIS in March 2018 was $18.166 billion, 11.0% more than in February 2018 and 15.3% more than in February 2017, the FCS said.
In March, imports were up 21.9% for machine-building products, up 7.7% for food products, up 5.8% for textile goods and footwear and up 5.3% for chemical products.
Among food products, imports increased 31.5% for fruits, 31.1% for vegetables, 17.7% for fish, 13.6% for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, 7.6% for tobacco, 7.4% for vegetable oil, and 2.4% for sugar, while imports declined 36.0% for meat and variety meat, 32.5% for grain and 26.8% for dairy products.
Among chemical goods, imports of organic and inorganic chemical products were up 24.2%, soap and detergents - up 14.1%, polymers and rubbers - up 12.2%, and perfumery and cosmetics - up 3.5%, while imports of pharmaceutical products were down 4.8%.
For textile goods and footwear, imports increased 27.0% for cotton, 22.1% for chemical thread, 20.0% for textile material, 10.1% for finished textile products, 8.9% for synthetic fiber, 7.9% for footwear, and 2.8% for both knit fabric and knitted garments, while imports declined 4.2% for textile clothing.
For machine-building products, imports were up 3.6-fold for aircraft and aircraft parts, up 25.4% for overland transport means, up 22.4% for electrical equipment, up 12.1% for optical instruments and tools, and up 11.7% for mechanical equipment, but down 26.4% for ships and down 15.9% for rail locomotive parts and equipment.